


What It Takes

by p3pp3rmintt



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adventures of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Cat Noir - Freeform, F/M, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, Multi, miraculous - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-05-25 03:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6178411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p3pp3rmintt/pseuds/p3pp3rmintt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ladybug and Chat Noir work together to cleanse an akumatized victim, leaving Ladybug injured and in need of some help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ice Creamer

**Author's Note:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Alya was staring down at her phone with excitement. “Marinette! There’s been another Akuma attack!” Marinette leaned over Alya’s phone in curiosity. Pictures were uploaded on the Ladyblog of people being pulled out of giant scoops of ice cream in the streets.  
“That looks cold.” Marinette said with a frown.  
“OOOOOOHhhhhhhh I wonder if I can make it over there in time to get some footage! I’ll see you later!”  
Marinette watched her friend go with a soft smile, she turned and ran into a nearby alley. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, she opened her purse. “Tikki, spots on!” She took to the sky, feeling the brisk night air whip across her face.  
Ladybug swung into the clearing, taking in the scene before her. Chat seemed to be taunting the akuma infected victim. She shook her head, focusing more on this new adversary. The man wore long white pants and a light blue button up shirt, a simple white paper hat resting on his balding head. She recognized him from the park near her home, he typically ran the ice cream stand. She eyed the large, oversized ice cream scooper he cradled under his arm.  
His gaze trailed over to her; Chat’s gaze followed, immediately glowing with admiration. She stepped forward with confidence. “What do we have here Chat?”  
“It’s nICE to see you, My Lady.” He gave a slight bow of his head. She raised her eyebrow at him before stopping next to him. He turned back to the opponent. “Frosty here is having a bad day it appears.”  
The man growled. “My name is not frosty!” He frowned at the super hero duo. “I am the Ice Creamer.” He stood taller, almost in a boasting manner. Chat snickered behind his black glove; Ladybug shot him a look warning him to stop. The Ice Creamer glared at her partner before lifting his oversized ice cream scooper in Chat’s direction.  
Chat dove at Ladybug as a large scoop of vanilla ice cream whizzed by. She stared in shock at the large pile of ice cream behind her before turning back to the adversary. “I see.”  
Chat leaned against his staff length baton, giving the Ice Creamer a mischievous grin. “I hope that wasn’t Haagen Dawg ice cream. A natural enemy for cats.”  
Ladybug raised her eyebrow. “And here I thought kitties liked cream.”  
Chat’s grin widened. “I prefer my cream a bit warmer.”  
Ladybug turned at hearing a loud noise, groaning when she spotted the press. “What are they doing here?”  
“Probably trying to get the scoop.” Chat responded, giving her a cheeky smile.  
Ladybug shook her head in annoyance. “Chat, where is the Akuma at?”  
He straightened. “Right, it’s in his ice cream scooper gun.”  
She nodded and dodged a large strawberry ice cream ball that was hurtling in her direction. The Ice Creamer let out a roar of frustration. Chat grinned. “Shouldn’t we be the ones screaming since your giving us the ice cream?”  
The Ice Creamer sent a volley of assorted ice cream balls towards Chat, one hitting the news van in the distance. Chat had the nerve to stick his hand out and grab a handful of vanilla as it passed. He gave his hand a large lick, smiling in delight. Ladybug took her chance and ran towards him while his attention was focused on her partner. The Ice Creamer whirled around and shot a scoop of chocolate at her. Too close to dodge, Ladybug closed her eyes as the giant ball of frozen dairy ripped her from her feet and threw her into the river behind her.  
Under the water, she frantically wiggled free from the oversized dessert before swimming up towards the surface. Feeling herself already shaking from the cold effects of the ice cream and water, the moment her face broke the surface, she started choking on the icy air. Losing energy quickly, she quickly made her way towards the edge of the water. Shakily, she stood up and looked back to her opponent. He was once again distracted by Chat, who had used his Cataclysm attack while she was under water. The wind felt like knives tearing into her as the cold air washed over her.  
Ladybug wiped the wet hair from her face before throwing her yoyo in the air. “Lucky charm!” A container of sprinkles landed in her hands. She frowned looking around trying to see where to use it. The ground lit up in spots and she nodded in understanding. Opening the container, she tossed it towards the Ice Creamer, raining sprinkles across the ground. The Ice Creamer turned to see what the commotion was, only to slip on the ground, his ice cream scooper tumbling away. “Chat!”  
“I’m on it!” The black cat super hero used his elongated pole to knock the weapon towards Ladybug. She picked it up and slammed it against the railing of a nearby bridge. A small black butterfly flittered out.  
“I’ve got you little Akuma!” She declared as she used her yoyo. “Bye bye little butterfly.” She watched it fly away, her body shivering in protest to the cold air. She turned and smiled at Chat who was slipping on the sprinkles trying to retrieve the container. He finally tossed it over so she could cleanse the city.  
The ice cream man sat there in confusion. “W… What happened?”  
Chat walked over to Ladybug to give his usual fist bump. She slowly pulled her arm from around herself to acknowledge him. “Good job Chat!” She let out from her chattering teeth.  
His smile vanished. “My Lady, are you alright?” She pulled her arm back over her chest and nodded, her body let out another shiver. “You’re cold, here.” He stepped towards her.  
She jumped back, hands up in protest. “I . .I’m fine Ch Ch Ch Chat.” Her teeth were chattering more every second. She bit her lip. “S S See you l l l later!” She pulled out her yoyo and swung away, the cold air nipping at her.  
She made it several blocks before stumbling to a stop on a rooftop. She looked around frantically, noticing that she wasn’t even heading towards her home. She turned quickly, her head feeling heavy. She took several long breathes to steady herself. Ladybug stared ahead and focused on the building in front of her before running. She threw her yoyo and swung, her hand slipping half-way through and left her falling.

Chat caught her before she could crash into the side of the building and jumped her back up to the roof. “Ladybug?!” He gently set her down in a sitting position. “You’re freezing.”  
She tried to give him a reassuring smile. Her thoughts felt sluggish, almost like walking through mud. “I’m fffffffffine.” She managed to say slowly.  
She stood up, pushing herself away and stumbled towards the edge. She bent down to pick up her yoyo and lost her balance, landing on her hands and knees. Chat nervously crouched next to her. “My lady, please.”  
Her blue eyes looked over to him uncertainly. “Chat.” Her eyes closed as she collapsed against him.  
“Hey hey hey! Stay with me!” He shook her slightly.  
Her head felt like it was tumbling, her thoughts jumbled. “I’m alwayssss right here for yoouuuu Cccchhatt.” She slurred out.  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He looked around nervously, hearing her earing beep. He glanced at his own ring. “Your miraculous is wearing out faster than normally, you don’t have much time.” Her eyes stay closed, her body still. “Ladybug!”  
He let out a growl as his own ring beeped again. He picked her up and carried her to the roof door nearby and went inside. He called out, glancing down the step. Once he was sure no one else was there, he let go of his transformation. Plagg shot out of his ring and landed on the railing. He leaned forward, his eyebrow raised. “What are you going to do now?”  
Adrien set Ladybug down gently and stared at Plagg. “I think I need to take her to the hospital; but I’m worried about her secret identity.” He reached into his pocket and handed his Kwami cheese. “Here, regardless, I need to change back as soon as possible.”  
Her earring beeped again. He leaned down and bit his lip. “She’s on her last dot, what do I do?”  
Plagg tossed the cheese in the air, swallowing the entire chunk skillfully in one gulp. “Nothing, now you can see who she is. That’s what you’ve been pining for, isn’t it?”  
Adrien ran his hands through his hair. “Not like this! I never wanted to find out like this!” He looked over fretfully. Adrien slipped off his jacket and laid it over her, noticing her lack of shiver. “Are you almost ready Plagg?”  
The kwami nodded and Adrien held up his ring. “Claws out!”  
Another bright light filled the space and Chat froze, unsure if he should look. A small red creature appeared before him. “Hurry! Ladybug needs you to help her!”  
Chat frantically paced the small space. “What should I do? Take her to the hospital?”  
The kwami shook her head. “It’s too far, she needs to be warmed up now, she’s starting to get hypothermia.” His eyes widened.  
“My house is nearby, would... would that work?”  
The Kwami shot over to her chosen hero and pulled the jacket higher. “Hurry, we need to warm her up.”  
That was enough of an answer for Chat. He scooped her up, restraining himself from looking down at her face, and jumped out of the door. He swiftly made his way to his house, slipping in his bedroom window. He laid her down in his bed and pulled the covers over her. He let go of his transformation and ran to his closet and pulled out a large, electric blanket. Plugging it in, he tossed it over his bed, only catching a quick glimpse of her face.  
He turned to the Kwamis. “What do I do now?”

The red Kwami looked close to tears, her body sagging with exhaustion. Plagg looked up. “Can you get her some food? She usually prefers something sweet, although she isn’t as particular as I can be.” Adrien stared at his own Kwami for a few long seconds before quickly walking out of the room. Upon returning, he heard the Kwamis agreeing on something.  
Adrien set the snacks on the computer desk. “Are you sure we shouldn’t have gone to the hospital?”  
Tikki nodded. “The past Chats and Ladybugs took care of each other in these types of situations. Hypothermia can affect the mind until she’s better and she can incoherently say something revealing.”  
Plagg flew up to Adrien. “Speaking of revealing. . .” Adrien frowned at the mischievous expression the Kwami wore.


	2. Waking up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien takes care of Marinette while she recovers from the aftermath of slight hypothermia from their most recent akuma attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Adrien scowled at his reflection in the mirror. “Plagg, are you sure this is the best thing?”  
Plagg hid a snicker behind his paw. “Of course, would I lie to you?”  
Adrien gave him a disproving glare before looking back into the mirror. “I don’t know how well this will work.”  
“What’s the difference?”  
Adrien shifted the makeshift mask on his face. “I don’t know, it just doesn’t look the same.”  
Tikki flew into the bathroom, the look of approval on her face. “Very convincing.”  
Adrien looked between them before looking back to mirror. “Yea?”  
She nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, the ears make all the difference.”  
He reached up and flicked the cat ears attached to the headband he wore. “Plagg, where did you even find these at?”  
Plagg shrugged, a smug look plastered across his face. “Your closet has many hidden treasures.”  
Adrien shrugged, “Alright, if you both think this will make a big difference, I guess I’ll trust you. Tikki, did you put the. . uh. . mask on Ladybug?”  
She nodded. “Her hair is still wet; maybe we should get a towel and wrap her hair in it.”  
Adrien nodded and silently grabbed a towel and made his way back into his room. He hesitantly peered into the bed, relieved when he spotted the crudely made mask across her face. He started to wrap her hair up, stopping when she shifted her head.  
Her eyes fluttered open and her blue eyes froze him on spot. He stared wide-eyed back, feeling more vulnerable than he admitted. She shifted the blankets off of herself, exposing his jacket he left on her. “I need to go.”  
“Nooo, Ladybug, you need to stay in bed.” He started to pull the covers up.  
She sat up and shook her head, the towel tumbling off. “No, I need to go. I need to save them.”  
Adrien grabbed her hand that was pushing the sheets off again. “Save who?”  
She stared into his green eyes, almost seeming to get lost in them. “All of them.” She replied weakly.  
“Shhhhhh, you need rest. Lay back down.” She continued to gaze into his eyes until he put his hand on her shoulder. She slowly lay down and let him pull the covers up again. Tikki flew over and nestled onto Ladybug’s shoulder, speaking quietly to the girl. Adrien rewrapped her hair and cautiously stepped away from the bed. He heard a soft laugh from behind and turned to give Plagg a glare. The Kwami flew over to the bed and curled up on the heated blanket.  
Adrien walked away with a sigh and slumped into his desk chair. He glanced over to the bed before loading up the Ladyblog. He chuckled at the headline “The Inside Scoop of the Ice Creamer”. He scanned the article written and glanced threw the photos loaded from multiple sources, cringing when he saw the ones of Ladybug getting hit and thrusted into the water. “Sorry, My Lady.” He whispered. “This is all my fault, I should have done better.”  
“You did fine.” He looked over to see Tikki perched on the edge of the desk. She smiled up at him with bright eyes.  
He let out a sigh as he continued to scroll through the page. He reloaded the main page, eyes instantly drawn to the newest picture posted. He felt some of the color drain from his face. There leaping from one roof to another, was him carrying Ladybug, although it was clear she wasn’t in her uniform. Her outfit was blocked by the coat he had her wrapped in and her face hidden by his arm and her wet hair. Luckily for him the picture was a bit blurry so the little details would be harder to catch. He looked over to Tikki who was giving the screen a thoughtful look.  
“Looks like Alya caught an interesting picture.”  
Tikki nodded, eyes scanning the caption. “I think Ladybug’s identity is still safe. It doesn’t look like too much was revealed, although it makes it seem like you know her identity.”  
Adrien nodded, staring back at the screen. He shifted the cat eared headband to scratch his head. “I’m getting a bit tired.” He yawned. “I guess it must have been a long day. Is it starting to get late?”  
She flew to the window. “ I hope Ma- Ladybug’s parents don’t get worried.”  
Adrien nodded with a stretch of his arms. He opened his eyes to find Tikki gone. “Tikki?” He stood up and walked towards the window. “Tikki?”  
“Over here.” Her muffled reply came from the bed. He walked over and soon spotted her coming from under the covers tugging a phone with her.  
“You grabbed her phone?” He picked it up to help carry it over to the desk. The Kwami sat down and started tapping the screen to pull up the texts. “How’d you get so good with the phone?”  
Tikki giggled. “Well, not to brag, but recently I helped her with some major phone issues.”  
Adrien nodded thoughtfully. “That’s good, I’m pretty sure Plagg only knows how to smear mine with cheese or hide it for several days.” That comment earned him another giggle and he couldn’t help but return a soft chuckle.  
“There!” Tikki floated proudly over the phone. “I’m sure her parents will understand.”  
Adrien yawned again. “I’m going to hit the sack.” He stood and glanced at the bed before slumping across his couch.  
Tikki stared at him before zipping back to the bed and curling up with Ladybug. 

~~~~~~~~~

Marinette shifted in her sleep, relishing in the warmth. Her body felt like it was thawing from the cold. She smiled when she felt Tikki curl closer to her. She gave her body a light stretch, letting out slight groan of protest at how cramped and battered her body felt. Marinette opened her eyes, blinking at the darkness around her. I don’t remember it ever becoming night time. She felt Tikki shift next to her and knew the Kwami had awaken.  
“Ma-Ladybug?”  
“Hi Tikki.” She paused thoughtfully. “Why’d you call me Ladybug?” Marinette sat up as she heard Tikki flutter nearby. “I don’t remember coming home tonight.” She started to free her hair from the towel.  
“”Mar- I. . There’s something I need to tell you.”  
Marinette looked around the room with what little light was left on. “Tikki…” The panic in her whisper evident. “Tikki, where are we?” She shifted on the bed, touching something furry. She let out a short startled cry as she jumped, tangling herself in the sheets as she tumbled out of bed. Marinette landed on her face.  
“It’s fine, let me explain.”  
She heard footsteps and a light flickered on, allowing her to see the luxurious room around her. Her frantic eyes met Chat’s and she lost her breath momentarily. He put his hands up in defense, wearing a nervous smile. She glanced between Tikki and Chat several times before reaching her hand up to her face.  
“Chat made you a mask to protect your identity.”  
Marinette gave him a questioning stare. “You… You don’t know who I am?”  
He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t look.” The more she stared, the more she noticed something was off about him. His usual outfit was wrong. He wore a black tee shirt with dark jeans. His mask wasn’t as clean cut, it didn’t tint his entire eyes green leaving them to contrast on a whole new level against the mask. His ears… Marinette tried to stifle a giggle that broke the tension in the air. Chat frowned. “What?”  
“Your ears.” She grinned playfully. “They’re crooked.”  
His hand flew to his head, finding the headband completely lopsided. He frowned as he straightened them. “Better?”  
She nodded slowly. “What are those?”  
Pink dusted his cheeks as he looked away. “Plagg said it’d be better if I wore them to help with my Chat disguise.”  
“Plagg?”  
A small black cat like creature sprung from whatever sheets remained on the bed. “The one you assaulted before you took the entire bed with you.”  
Marinette felt her smile grow as Tikki rushed to her defense and started to Lecture the cat. Chat made his way over to her and crouched. “Need help getting untangled?”  
She looked down at the tangled mess of sheets around her legs. “Yeah.” He slowly helped her slip out of the sheets, surprised to find herself wearing a jacket.  
“How are you feeling?”  
“I’m fine.” He gave her an unconvinced look. “Okay, if you really want to know, I feel grungy. Probably from the water earlier.” Her hand went up to her hair and ran it through the loose pig tails, pulling them out of the bands.  
Chat nodded thoughtfully. “Do you need to take a shower?”  
She put her hands up. “Nooo. I’ll just wait until I go home.” She took an unsteady step, reaching for the bed for support.  
“You’re not going anytime soon.” She glanced back up at his concerned expression. “You’re finally starting to feel better, I can’t just let you go. I’ll just be worried the entire time.”  
“Chat..” She gave him a hopeless look. “My parents are going to be concerned.”  
Tikki perched herself on Marinette’s shoulder. “I took care of that for you.” She blinked in surprise at the Kwami. “I sent them a text.”  
Chat walked over to the desk and soon returned with her phone. She gave him a curious look before going through her messages.  
_Hey mom, I met up with a classmate today and they needed some help with a project. I think it’ll take a while. Is it fine I stay the night?_  
From Mom _Sure thing. See you tomorrow. Love ya!_  
She looked up at the Kwami in shock. “I can’t believe she bought that so easily.” She frowned. “I don’t like that we lied to her though.”  
Tikkie shrugged. “Well, the project was getting you better, so we didn’t technically lie.”  
Marinette opened her mouth to continue only to be stopped. “My Lady.” She glanced over to Chat. “Please. Just rest up. And tomorrow we can make sure you get home.”  
She let out a light huff. “Fine. You said I can take a shower?” He nodded. “What about my clothes?”  
He tapped in chin in thought before walking away. She watched him disappear behind a door and looked at Tikki after he was gone for several minutes. Finally she heard the door close and looked up to see him return with clothes and towels. “Just borrow some of mine tonight.”  
She felt her face go red. “B b b borrow yours?!”  
“Yeah! It’s no big deal.” She held out the red shirt which she knew she would be swimming in. The black sweat pants she knew would be baggy on her. She nodded her approval and followed him to the restroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I wrote this BEFORE they released that episode about Ladybug going to the Agreste house, so my apologies. Let's just say that this takes place before that then ;)


	3. Bedroom tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Ladybug is recovering, Adrien provides her with a nice meal and offers to show her around his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Adrien stared at the bed with uncertainty, Plagg landed on his shoulder. “What’s the worry?”  
“Did I put the sheets on right?” Plagg rolled his eyes, as he floated off to lounge on the desk again. “Look, I usually don’t change the sheets, but I’m not going to pester anyone else to do it, especially around this time.” His eyes darted to the clock to confirm that it was in fact 8:00pm.   
“Why’d you have to change the sheets?”  
Adrien crossed his arms across his chest. “She said she felt grungy. Who would want to go back to sleep in a grungy bed after they just had a shower?”  
Plagg groaned out a response about cheese being superior than some crush. He scrunched his face at the mention of cheese, even as his stomach rumbled. Adrien realized he hadn’t eaten since lunch. He strode to the door, stopping at hearing Plagg’s snicker. “What is it now Plagg?”  
“Are you going like that?” He asked. Adrien gave him a perplexed look. Plagg held his paws up to his eyes. Adrien flushed as he untied the mask.   
“Thanks.” He mumbled as he quickly left the room. He made his way down the steps, pausing at hearing his father’s assistant.   
“Adrien, is that you?”  
“Uh, yeah.”   
She came around the corner and stared at him with wide eyes. “I. . er. . I..” She cleared her throat. “Is there anything you need?” Adrien shook his head. Her eyes darted above him before she quickly turned around. “Have a good night then.”  
“Thank you, you try to as well!” He glanced behind him to confirm Plagg didn’t follow him before bolting to the kitchen and opening the fridge.   
“Young Master!” He heard the voice boom from across the kitchen. He looked out from behind one of the doors to see the large chef shuffle in. The chef wore an amused expression. “Hungry this late in the evening?”  
“Yeah.” He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “I lost track of time and missed out on dinner. I’m famished.”  
The chef nodded thoughtfully. “How about milk m’boy?”  
Adrien raised his eyebrow questioningly. “Milk?”  
The chef chuckled, tapping Adrien on his back. “I’m only joking, now let me prepare you something.”  
Adrien nodded slowly, stepping away from the fridge. The chef whipped up chicken over vegetables in a red wine sauce. He sliced a thin slice of fresh bread and placed it on a side plate. Arranging the tray, the chef smiled. He quickly added another small plate and added assorted cheeses. “There, I put a few of your favorites together.”  
“Thanks so much.” Adrien eyed the tray. “Is it possible I can have something sweet as well?”  
The chef frowned. “We don’t typically give you sweets.” His eyes darted to the clock. “Especially at this hour, I don’t think your father would be happy.”Adrien let his face fall, mustering an expression of dejection. The chef heaved a large sigh as he sliced a small piece of cake. He held his finger to his lips and gave Adrien a wink.   
Adrien again offered the chef his appreciation before quickly retiring to his room. Opening the door, Adrien was bombarded with Plagg’s overbearing laughter. “What is it this time?” He snapped.   
Plagg sat up, breathing deeply to calm himself. “Did. .” He cleared his throat before continuing in what he assumed Plagg intended to be innocently. “Did you run into anyone?”  
Adrien stared at Plagg for several long moments before nodding. The Kwami exploded with laughter. “What’s so funny Plagg?” He ground out.  
Plagg paused long enough to wiggle his ears. All of the color drained from Adrien’s face before he scrambled to the mirror. How could I have forgotten to take off the cat ears?! He glared at Plagg’s reflection of the mirror, rolling on the desk while clutching his sides. Adrien grumbled as he pulled the mask out of his pocket and slowly added it back across his eyes, looping it around the headband straps before tying it off. He stalked back to the couch and slumped across it, trying to ignore the taunting laughs of his Kwami.   
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. “What’s he laughing so hard from?”  
“Nothing.” He replied dryly before glancing towards his bathroom door. Ladybug, his Lady, was dressed so casually in his clothes. She tied the red shirt in the back so it fit better to her side. The black sweat pants were rolled down several times at the top so she could wear it without as much worry about it dragging across the floor. She continued to dry her hair with the towel as she stared at him with her bright blue eyes. He gulped nervously. “My… My Lady.” He threw his hand out openly, inviting her to take a seat. She eyed him cautiously before sitting down next to him. “Are you hungry?” He gave her a dazzling smirk.  
She stared blankly at him. “Yea, I suppose I could eat.”   
He bounced off the couch and grabbed the tray from the desk, setting it on the coffee table. He lifted the large lid, letting the aroma of food fill the room. Ladybug’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh wow, that looks amazing.”  
Adrien smirked. “Eat up.” He held out a fork.   
She looked questioningly over to him. “What about you?”  
He waved it off. “I’ll be fine. Please, be my guest and eat.”   
Ladybug hesitantly turned to the food, staring longingly at it. “Only if you join me.”  
He shrugged and picked up the dessert fork. “If My Lady insists.”   
She took a large forkful of the chicken, letting out a sigh of delight. “This is so amazing!”   
He watched in amusement. “Here.” He ripped the bread slice in half and handed her a slice a piece. “Try dipping this in the sauce. It’s puurrrfect.” He gave her a boyish grin.  
She chuckled as she grabbed the slice and dipped it delicately in the sauce. “Mmmmmmmm.” Adrien took a bite as well, relishing in the tantalizing flavors that danced across his tongue. Tikki curiously landed near the tray, inspecting the food. “Tikki, you need to try this!” Ladybug ripped a small piece and dipped it before handing it to the Kwami.  
Tikki nibbled at the bread, letting out a hum of delight. Adrien smirked when he noticed Plagg watching them with disinterest. He picked up a piece of cheese and strolled over to his Kwami. “I don’t know if you deserve this.” He held it out, watching Plagg’s eyes grow. “But if you promise to behave, there is more where that came from.”  
“Deal!” Plagg ripped the cheese from his hand and disappeared. Adrien smirked as he sat back down next to Ladybug. A shiver caught his eye.   
“Are you still cold?”  
She gave him a sheepish smile. “I’ll be fine.”  
He quickly walked to his closet and pulled out a black sweater. “Here LB!” He tossed it over to the couch, the sweater landing on her head.   
“Thanks.” She deadpanned as she pulled it off and examined it. He sat down next to her as she finished slipping it on. She started to fidget with the sleeves before giving up and sticking her hands in the front pocket. Her blue eyes met his again and she gave him a smile that had him melting. “Thanks a lot Chat.”  
“M.. my please, My Lady.” He gave a quick bow of his head and put on his most charming smile.  
She turned back to the food. “Did you make this? It’s so amazing.”   
“I . . uh. . No. We have a chef. He whipped it up really quickly while you were in the shower.” She nodded, absorbing the new information. “Do you know how to cook?”  
“Yeah! I help my parents all the time.” She smiled as she took another bite of the sauce soaked bread.   
“Would you ever make something for me?” He asked smoothly as he leaned closer, wiggling his eyebrows.  
She giggled as she pushed him back. “We’ll see.” Ladybug poked her fork into the dessert. “What’s this?”  
Adrien waved it off. “It’s for you and Tikki, I know she likes sweets.” Ladybug glanced at him, eyes full of questions. “She. . uh. . needed to recharge earlier.”  
She turned her gaze back to the cake as she continued to poke at it. “I guess I’ll try it.” She took a small bite and leaned against the back cushion of the couch with a light sigh of pleasure. “This is amazing! I need to come over more often.”   
Adrien raised his eyebrow, a wild grin plastered across his face. “Yeah?”  
Her eyes snapped open in realization. “I . . Well I didn’t mean. . What I meant was. .” She gave an exasperated sigh. “Sure.” She poked her fork in the dessert again as he continued to work on the chicken.   
Adrien stood and cleaned up the tray, ignoring Ladybug’s protests to help. He noticed her looking around the expanse of the room curiously. “Would you like a tour?”  
“Sure.” She followed him, trying to stop her mouth from hanging open from the luxurious attractions. He walked her past the foosball table towards the bed where she just now noticed the large, green banner hanging down above his bed. Her eyes trailed over his trophies and quickly went to his large computer screen. “Impressive computer.”  
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” He sat in the computer chair and hit a button, bringing the screen to life once again. The enlarged picture of Chat Noir carrying Ladybug was shown. Adrien grimaced, realizing he left the Ladblog open on his screen. He looked over and gave her a nervous look. Her expression unreadable. He loaded up the most recent battle and pictures of their fight with the Ice Creamer flooded his screen with small details on the fight. Ladybug stepped up and scanned through them all curiously.   
“Hey Chat, how often do you get on this?”  
“Oh, well.” He looked guiltily between the screen and Ladybug. “I wouldn’t say a lot, but frequent enough. It has come in handy when finding out about Akuma attacks.”  
Ladybug nodded. He turned the screen off and pulled her along to his arcade machines. He showed her how to play one and after that they spent the following 20 minutes beating each other’s scores.   
He pulled her upstairs to the library, enjoying the jaw-dropping response he received. “How many of them have you read?”  
He glanced across the shelves giving a light shrug. “Most of them I think.” She stared at him in bewilderment. “I used to have a lot of free time before my Akuma fighting days.” She nodded in thought as she started to walk again.   
She stopped at the rock climbing wall, running her fingers over the lower holds. “Wow, so is this how you practice your agility?”  
Adrien shrugged. “I don’t use it as much now that I’m Chat Noir, but this makes good practice.”  
She stuck her finger on her lip in thought. “You’d think with something like this to practice with, you’d be less clumsy.” He sent her a patronizing glare earning a giggle out of her. “Well, we could race to see who could get to the top first.”  
Adrien glanced at the wall in consideration. “Maybe next time, you’re still recovering.”  
She sent him a reproachful glare. He turned her around to show that they were now at the top of a large skateboarding ramp that led into a basketball court. “Seems like you have just about everything.”  
“Seems like it.” She looked over at him in concern; he shifted uncertainly under her gaze. He turned his gaze to the room in front of him and leaned against the railing.   
She leaned against the railing and let her eyes drift across the room. “You must not get bored very often, you have so much going on in your room, let alone your responsibilities as Chat Noir.” Adrien didn’t respond as he stared at the expanse of his room. He felt her hand on his arm and he looked into her eyes.   
“My day to day life keeps me busy, but I don’t tend to spend a lot of time here.” She tilted her head as he spoke. “It.. gets a little lonely.”  
Her blues eyes scanned the room before she gave a small nod. “I can see that.”  
He pushed himself away from the railing with a sigh. “Well, want to try out this skateboarding ramp?”  
She gave him a skeptical look. “So I can go skateboarding but not rock climbing?”  
“It’s just downhill, what’s the worst that could happen?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think so far =)


	4. Goodbye For Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a transitional chapter, made to lead the story on. Marinette heads home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Marinette let out a strangled yelp as the skateboard rocketed behind her, propelling her body forwards. She squeezed her eyes shut as she prepared herself for the impending crash against the floor. Warm arms enveloped her. She opened her eyes to see Chat’s face inches from her own. He took the brunt of the fall. They rolled down the remainder of the ramp, Marinette pushed herself off of her partner.  
“Chat, are you okay?”  
His playful grin spread across his face. “Indeed, My Lady, although I must admit I am a little surprised. Are you okay?”  
She held her hand out to help him up. “I’m fine.” He stood slowly and rubbed his shoulder tenderly. “Did you hurt your shoulder?” She reached up and touched his arm.  
“No, I’m okay.” He gave her a convincing smile, she frowned but accepted his response. Chat looked around the room. “Well, did you want to play some video games or arcade games?”  
She gazed around the room thoughtfully, landing on the bed where Plagg and Tikki were snuggled together on the electric blanket. Her body ached and even with the sweater, she still felt a chill. She shifted her gaze back to Chat, exhibiting a yawn. “I’m actually really tired.”  
Chat smiled with understanding. “Go ahead and go to sleep.” He walked her over to the bed and held the covers for her. She rolled her eyes, unable to erase the smile from her lips as she climbed in. Chat turned off the lights and Marinette heard his footsteps dissipate towards the couch.  
She felt Tikki and Plagg crawl closer to her, nestling into her side. Marinette slipped easily into sleep.  
~  
Marinette stretched her stiff muscles as she basked in the warmth of the bed. She loved the comfort the bed provided and snuggled deeper under the blankets. She heard a chuckle and peeked an eye open.  
Two green eyes stared at her nearby in the dark room. “You look like a cozy cat not wanting to get cold. I should know.” Plagg’s mischievous grin stretched across his face.  
Marinette sat up slowly, letting the realization that the evening before actually did occur, it wasn’t just a dream. She looked around the dusky room. “Speaking of cats, where’s Chat?” She didn’t see him in the room.  
Plagg shrugged indifferently as he sniffed the large chunk of cheese in his hands. “Piano practice I believe.”  
Marinette raised her eyebrow in disbelief. She pulled out her phone and squinted against the bright light. “It’s 7:10am! On a Saturday! Why isn’t he sleeping?”  
“He has a very strict schedule, weekends don’t change that.” Plagg threw the cheese in the air, catching the entire chunk in his mouth. Marinette took it that the conversation was over so she crept towards the bedroom door and cracked it open. A beautiful melody trickled into the room and she smiled. She gently closed the door and made her way back to the bed, happy with the warmth of the blankets. The bedroom door opened and Marinette looked over without thinking. The outline of Chat in the doorway filled her mind, she looked away when she noticed her attention was automatically focused on his face, dissecting his shadowed features.  
The door closed and she listened to his footsteps through the room. “Good morning.”  
The footsteps stopped and she looked up, seeing his outline in the room facing away from her. “Morning.” He replied carefully. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ears and mask and put them on before turning back to face her.  
In the dark she couldn’t make out the details of his features, even as he walked towards the bed. He hesitated next to her before grabbing a remote off the desk and hitting a button. The room was flooded with light as the blinds receded from his enormous windows into the ceiling. He gave her a careful smile.  
Marinette smiled uncertainly at her partner. “So, piano practice?”  
He scratched the back of his head, “Yeah, my father’s idea.”  
Marinette leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. “It sounded good.”  
Pink dusted his cheeks as he looked away. “Yeah?” He scratched the back of his neck. “It’s not exactly my favorite hobby.”  
“Well, what do YOU like to do?”  
Chat stared at her in thought. “Besides saving Paris, I enjoy going to school.”  
“School?” She deadpanned.  
“Well, it gets me out of the house and I get to see my friends.” He looked up at his library on the second floor. “I was previously homeschooled.”  
Marinette nodded slowly. “Sounds lonely.”  
He gave her a soft smile. “It was, but that is behind me now.” She frowned thoughtfully. “So, LB, when did you want to head out? I can try to see what I can do for us for breakfast first.”  
She clambered out of the bed. “I’m ready now. Don’t worry about breakfast, I don’t want to be any more of a bother.” He waved her off. “I’ll just check and see if my clothes have dried from last night.”  
She went to the bathroom and touched her stiff, cold clothes, wrinkling her nose. Chat’s voice startled her. “Just keep mine, I would think that it wouldn’t feel very good putting that outfit back on.”  
“You sure?” She looked down at the outfit, tucking her hands into the front pocket of the hoodie.  
“It’s fine, really. I have more clothes than I need.” He held out a dark bag. “Here, you can put them in this.”  
She folded up her things and stuffed them inside before she followed him back to the main room. “I suppose we should both transform. Tikki, spots on!”  
Tikki flew into her earrings and her outfit changed to her crime fighting uniform. She looked over questionably to Chat who was staring with his mouth ajar; she could practically see the stars in his eyes dancing merrily. “Chat, you ready?”  
“Right!” He gave his head a slight shake, his cat-eared headband falling off in the process. “Plagg, claws out!” She watched in fascination as his makeshift mask was replaced with his green tinted cat eyes, his normal Chat ears appeared in his hair, and the tail popped out.  
He looked over to her curiously, waiting for a response. Ladybug reached up and gave a light tug on his ear. Chat gave a yelp as he jumped back, his hand hovering gingerly over the afflicted ear. She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’ve always wondered how well those were attached.”  
Chat’s pout lingered as he eyed her warily. “It’s fine.” He hesitantly lowered his hand. “These are better than that stupid headband, that’s for sure.” He glanced at the bag in her hands. “If you’re ready, we can leave now, My Lady.”  
She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. “Yeah.”  
He turned and walked towards the window. “Okay, you gotta close your eyes.”  
“Excuse me?”  
He threw his hands up in defense at her suspicious glare. “No, what I mean is that. . well.. . unless you want to know where I live, which could reveal who I am, I’ll have to have you close your eyes.”  
She frowned. “But. . I. .” She put a hand up to her temple. “How am I supposed to get home without seeing anything?”  
Chat wore a mischievous smile. “I can carry you.” She let out a sigh before nodding. Chat bent down and looked over his shoulder to his Lady. “I’m ready.”  
She watched him tentatively before securing the bag on her back and climbing onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head against the back of his neck. “Okay, I guess I’m ready.” She felt his hair shift as he turned his head before she felt his hands on her thighs, holding her in place.  
She heard him open the window, a cool breeze filled her nostrils. He tightened his grip as she felt them launch from building to building. At first, she didn’t realize she was tracking where they were traveling until she felt completely lost. Finally he stopped and knelt down. “You can get off if you want, My Lady, otherwise I wouldn’t mind you holding on longer.” She could hear that smug smirk of his as he threw those words at her without a care.  
She quickly let go of him and opened her eyes to find them on top of the Notre Dame. Ladybug looked over to Chat. “Thanks.”  
He scratched the back of his head. “Well, it wouldn’t have taken so long if I just came straight here.” She tilted her head in confusion. “I. . know how important keeping our identities a secret, even from each other, so I took a more. . complicated route here.”  
“So I couldn’t figure out where you live?”  
“Yeah.” He looked almost regretful.  
She smiled before pulling him into a tight hug. “Thanks Chat.” She felt his arms carefully wrap around her.  
He stepped back, his cheeks pink as her bedroom walls. “Well, My Lady, if you feel up to it, I’m sure you’d like to get home.” His face regaining it’s normal composure. “If you need me to, I can escort you there.”  
She laughed and pulled out her yoyo. “That won’t be necessary, thanks though. She walked over to the edge. “Chat. . .” She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks, really.” His face seemed to melt as the largest smile appeared across his face. She threw her yoyo and launched herself over to the next building. Giving one last glance at her kitty, she headed home.


	5. Shall we go?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette frets over what to do with the backpack and the outfit Chat left for her before Alya calls and invites her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Marinette stared at the backpack with a frown. “What do you think Tikki?”  
The Kwami zipped over and perched atop the bag in question. “I don’t see what the big deal is Marinette, Chat said you could keep it.”   
She let out a sigh as she slumped down on her chaise lounge. “Yeah, well, I’d like to return it. I feel bad taking it.” Her stare returned to the bag. “I wish there was a way I’d know if I was going to see him, I could just bring it along with me.”  
Tikki watched Marinette with amusement. “He might see your civilian form with the backpack and know who you are.” Marinette’s attention turned to Tikki.  
“You know who he is.” Tikki didn’t respond. “Is it. . someone I know?”  
Tikki looked away in thought before answering slowly. “It’s someone that you’ve seen before.”  
Marinette scrunched her face in concentration. “Would he recognize me if he sees me?”  
Tikki let out an airy laugh. “If he hasn’t already, I doubt he will anytime soon.”  
Marinette watched the little red Kwami with a pout. “I guess…?” Her eyes darted back to the bag and she let out another sigh before standing up to answer her ringing phone.   
Alya’s voice blared out. “Heeeyy girl! What are you doing today?”  
Marinette slumped across her chaise lounge. “I don’t know, maybe do some actual homework for once.”  
“Pft! How about you meet me in the park?”  
Marinette idly twirled the end of her pigtail between her fingers. “What’s in the park?”  
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a certain MODEL from our class on a photo shoot.”  
Marinette shot up so fast her head was pounding painfully. “ADRIEN?!” She heard Alya laugh on the other line. “Really? He’s actually at the park on a photo shoot?” She pouted thoughtfully. “But that doesn’t make any sense, he did a photo shoot there several weeks ago. His photographer usually tries to change it up instead of going to the same places so regularly.” She frowned down to the phone in her hand. “Is this just some trick to get me out of the house?”  
“Fine, don’t believe me; you won’t know for sure unless you come.” Her over confident voice rang through Marinette’s head several minutes after she had hung up.   
“What do you think Tikki?” Marinette looked over to the bored Kwami.   
“Well, why not get some fresh air? You can’t stay next to the backpack waiting for an Akuma attack.”  
Marinette let her eyes flicker back to the black bag before turning back to Tikki. “You’re right! Let’s go Tikki!”   
She ran into the park, her eyes scanning for her best friend. She quickly found Alya lounging on one of the nearby benches. “Hey Alya.” Her gaze combed over the park. “So, where’s Adrien?”  
Alya sat up and shoved her phone in Marinette’s face. “You were right, they only took a few photos before heading out to a new location. Apparently the photographer wanted to get a few more photos near the waterfall.” Marinette knit her eyebrows as she stared down at the picture on the screen. Adrien was indeed modelling on the waterfall. Marinette felt the frown slip off with a light sigh. She turned her gaze to Alya, who was wearing an amused expression. “You’re never going to believe what I did!”  
“What?” Alya’s smile grew wickedly wider. “What did you do?” Marinette asked suspiciously.   
“Wellllll, let’s just say that you, Nino and myself have plans to hangout with Adrien later today!”  
Marinette’s jaw dropped. “W. . What?! How?” She pulled out her phone and pulled up her calendar. “He’s supposed to go to a dinner meeting with his father tonight.”  
Alya snatched Marinette’s phone and stared wide-eyed at the screen. “Girl, sometimes you scare me a little.” Marinette pulled her phone back and stared at the evening timeslot. “But you’re not wrong. That WAS on his schedule tonight. Apparently his dad couldn’t attend in the evening and moved it up to a luncheon. Adrien already had his photoshoot scheduled so he couldn’t make it.”  
Marinette nodded, glowering down at her schedule. “That’s the 3rd time this week Mr. Agreste had to change a meeting time.”  
Alya sighed, shaking her head. “I hope you know how lucky you are that I’m your best friend.”  
Marinette sheepishly smiled back, rubbing the back of her head. Marinette followed Alya back to the bakery, snagging a few croissants on their way back up to her room. With a croissant stuffed in her mouth, she followed Alya back into her room. Alya paused at the top of the stairs. “Marinette, did you get a new bag?”   
Marinette looked at Alya with confusion. “What?” She passed a croissant to her friend as she took a large bite.   
Alya stuck out a finger and pointed it over to the bag Marinette left. Her blue eyes widened and she choked on the croissant in her mouth. She leapt across the room and threw the backpack up in the loft where her bed was. Alya stared, her eyebrow raised. “What was that?”  
Marinette swallowed down the croissant before attempting an innocent smile. “What was what?”   
Disbelief covered Alya’s face. She threw her arms up, gesturing towards the loft. “THAT! What was all that? The bag? The reaction?!”   
Marinette laughed nervously. “I . . erh… I don’t know what you’re talking about?” She continued her nervous laugh as she scratched the back of her neck, avoiding eye contact with her friend.   
Alya huffed out in annoyance. “Well, I guess I’ll just take a look then-“  
“NO!”   
Alya glanced expectantly over to Marinette. “Well then, are you going to tell me?” An amused smirk played at her lips.   
“Marinette let out a groan as she threw herself across her chaise lounge. “It’s. . a surprise.” She chanced a peek at her friend who was clearly waiting for more. “A. . birthday surprise.”  
Alya thoughtfully let her gaze wander back to the loft. “A birthday surprise.” She didn’t sound convince still.   
Marinette chuckled nervously again. “Yeah… for . . your birthday.”  
Alya snapped her attention back to Marinette. “My birthday?” She frowned. “That’s not until next month though.”  
Marinette sat up with enthusiasm. “Well, I wanted to make sure I have plenty of time to plan it all out and make it perfect. I didn’t want to wait last minute.”   
She held her breath as she watched Alya nervously. “Hmmm.” Alya smirked playfully, “Well if you’re planning it out this far in advance… it better be an amazing gift.”  
Marinette almost sighed in relief. “I hope you like it.” She breathed out nervously.   
Alya’s phone binged and she smiled at the screen. “Nino just texted me, we are meeting up in an hour!”  
Marinette pulled on her pigtails letting out a gargled yelp. “OH ALYA! What should I do? What are we doing? ARG!”   
Alya giggled. “Chill out Marinette. We are just going to the movies.”  
Marinette chewed on her nails in thought. “What should I wear?”  
Alya raised her eyebrow, letting her gaze skim over Marinette. “What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?”  
Marinette’s face contorted with fear. “What if I get hot and start sweating and then I start to smell and he never wants to see me again?” Alya opened her mouth to counter but Marinette continued, dragging her hands down her face dramatically. “Or worse!”  
“Worse?” Alya managed out slowly.  
Marinette started pacing as Alya slouched down in the lounge chair. “What if I get cold and have a shiver. Adrien, being the amazing and kind gentleman that he is, would offer me his jacket.”  
Alya frowned. “How would that be-“  
“And then ME, being the clumsy and accident prone Marinette, would spill a drink or buttered popcorn or something on his jacket. He would think that I don’t respect him or his clothes and maybe not even fashion in general.” Alya opened her mouth to counter, sticking her finger in the air; Marinette continued her rant before she had a chance to be interrupted. “And with his family having such a large impact on the fashion industry, my accident of ruining his jacket could potentially ruin any chances I might have at becoming a designer.” She released a large gasp. “I’ll have to move out of Paris- NO! France! I’ll have to move out of France and start a new life in another country.” She sank to the floor and glanced over to Alya, whose jaw was still dropped, finger pointed awkwardly in the air.   
Alya laughed out, “Oh Marinette, what am I going to do with you?” Marinette stretched out across the floor, letting out a groan of despair, urging Alya to chuckle as she responded to Nino’s text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I'm taking so long on this story, I have been all over the place with school. I'm apparently crazy and decided to pick up a summer course (WHHYYYY?!) and of course I chose biology *bangs head against the table* because I must have wanted to have a crappy June. *sigh* I'm so ready for July, but then I'll be working a ton, making up for all the hours of work I have to take off for this month. Ugh, I need to reevaluate my decisions.   
> But enough about me and my life, let me know what you think so far. =D this was more of a filler chapter to get the story rolling.


	6. In A Sticky Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette discusses the latest akuma attack with Alya when another disaster occurs. Adrien finds himself in a stick situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

*Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Ladybug landed on her rooftop with a sigh and looked around to make sure her partner hadn’t followed her home like he teased. Seeing that the rooftops were empty, she opened up her hatch and dropped inside. She released her transformation and smiled tiredly up at Tikki. “I think we did pretty well in that last fight, but I feel like I’m forgetting something.”  
Tikki raised her eyebrow. “The movies maybe?”  
Marinette let out a squall as she fumbled through her bag to pull out her phone. “How could I forget?” Sure enough, there were several missed calls and text messages from Alya, even a few from Nino. Marinette let out a groan as she threw herself across the chaise lounge. “She’s probably mad at me for ditching.” Marinette sat up in a panic. “Wait, does that mean I ditched Adrien too?!” She threw herself down with a wallowing groan.   
Tikki hovered over her thoughtfully. “Well, with the akuma attack, you all got separated anyways.”  
“I suppose so.” She took a deep breath. “You’re right. The akumatized victim was transforming everyone into a giant origami army.”  
“Yeah! You could just say that you were transformed into one.”   
Marinette frowned at the small Kwami. “I just hate lying to her.” She rolled over and scrolled through her texts. “I guess.” She sat up and pressed the call button.  
“Hey! What happened to you?!”  
Marinette smiled at Alya’s concern. “Sorry, I think I was transformed into.. some kind of giant origami animal. I don’t remember much of it.”  
She heard Alya tsk and her stomach churned with worry. Does she know? “Girl, you always seem to be transformed by the akumas.” Marinette let out an awkward laugh. “You have the worst luck.”  
She let out a breath of relief. “Yeah, bad luck. That’s totally me!”  
“So where are you now?”  
She frantically glanced around her room. “I. . uh. . well . . When I was transformed back, I was so close to my house I decided to just go home.”  
Alya let out a disappointed sigh. “Okay, it’s fine I guess. I mean, Adrien ended up getting separated from us too and he never came back either. Nino doesn’t seem very surprised.”  
“Nino? Wait, are you guys still at the movies?”   
She heard a light chuckle. “Yeah, well I’ve been waiting for months to see this movie and already had my ticket bought. The previews are showing right now so I stepped out; actually, I should be getting back in there. I’ll call you later!”  
Marinette smiled playfully. “Have fun on your date!”  
“Thanks I. . Wait! It’s not a-” Marinette ended the call and gave her Kwami a reassured smile.   
“Well what do we do with the rest of our evening Tikki?”  
Tikki placed her small hand under her chin. “Well, you did promise Alya an awesome birthday present.”  
Marinette smiled as she walked over to her desk and pulled out her sketchpad. “I guess I should get started on that.”

~~~~  
Monday morning flew for Marinette; classes kept her so busy she barely had time to stare at the back of Adrien’s head. In the afternoon, the day slowed to a steady pace. Marinette assumed her speedy and so far akuma free day was stemming from Chloe’s absence. With the amount that she bragged the week before, everyone was expecting her to be gone for this week on her and her father’s Caribbean trip. Marinette smiled, knowing that even after all of Chloe’s boisterous invitations, Adrien still declined joining her on the trip. Marinette knew she should enjoy this extra peace in school while she can. Once Chloe came home, she was going to showcase her tan and shove her amazing vacation photos down everyone’s throats.   
Marinette smiled as she walked home, listening to Alya ramble on about the Ladyblog and this weekend’s ‘Scoop’ on Ladybug. “….Then the next thing I see is Chat Noir, running at top speed across the rooftops. The craziest part was that he was carrying someone. I’M PRETTY SURE IT WAS LADYBUG!”  
“Wow Alya, you sure?”  
“Yea!” She was practically gushing. “He was totally carrying her bridal style.”  
Marinette choked on her spit. “B b Bridal style?!”  
Alya nodded as she skimmed through her photos. “Yeah!” She held out her phone so Marinette could see the picture Chat showed her several nights ago.   
“Oh yeah, I saw that picture.” Alya beamed as she proudly gazed at the picture on her screen.   
“I still can’t believe I didn’t tell you this story yesterday.”   
Marinette shrugged. “I guess we had other things on our minds, what with the movies and the other akuma attack.”  
Alya nodded absentmindedly, scanning some notifications that popped up. “I think there’s another akuma attack happening now.”  
Marinette raised her eyebrow. “Yeah? Where at?”  
Alya typed persistently on her phone. “I think. . I think it’s happening at our school.”  
Marinette paled. “Our school? But. . today. . oh no!”  
Alya peered over to her friend curiously. “What?”  
Marinette bit her lip. “Adrien has fencing practice scheduled right now.”  
Alya looked like she was about to ask, but decided against it. “Look, I’m going to head back to the school to see if I can get any news for the blog. I’ll see you later, alright?”  
Marinette nodded slowly. “Be careful Alya!” Alya gave her a two finger salute before rushing off. Marinette looked around and nonchalantly stepped into an alley. “Tikki.” She opened her bag so the Kwami’s small head popped out. “Transform me! Spots on!”  
Seconds later Ladybug shot out of the alley and headed towards the school. She landed on the building across the street and observed the school. There was white webbing across the front entrance and it lead away from the school. Larger white pods were scattered along the webbing. She flung her yoyo and started following the trail when someone from the street shouted up to her.   
“Ladybug! Please save the students in the school! My brother. . he’s. .”  
She glanced down and her heart panged for the small child. “Okay.” She gave a light wave and headed towards the building. Ladybug landed on the top of the school, peering into the courtyard. Her jaw tensed as she stared at the scene below. Large spider webs streaked across the entire courtyard; large cocoons which she could only assume had victims trapped inside were tangled throughout the white, silky substance.   
She counted the people trapped in the large webbing of the akuma. It looks like a majority of the fencing team is here, I wonder if Adrien is one of them. She let out a sigh before scanning the surrounding buildings, a strangled scream from below bringing her attention back to the matter at hand. There’s no more time waiting for Chat. Wherever you are, please hurry. She dropped down to the second story and carefully scanned the area. She dropped down to the first floor and ran to the nearest cocoon. Ladybug spun her yoyo, slicing through the webbing attached; the cocoon crashed to the floor. She sliced through the side and found a fencing student inside. She helped the boy up and out of the sticky mess.   
“Are you alright?”   
He lifted his mask giving her a soft smile. “Thanks to you I am.”   
She hid her disappointment. Not Adrien. “You should get out of here! Be careful not to get tangled up in any more of the webs!” She cut open the front entrance before turning back to the other pods. Why am I disappointed? I guess it’d be better if he wasn’t in the middle of an akuma attack. That’s right! I’m hoping he’s not here. As she shook the thoughts out of her head, she continued to release the victims, each one earning a sigh mixed with relief and sadness. She watched the teacher sprint out the front entrance before she turned towards the locker room. Only one more cocoon left.   
~  
Adrien let out another groan. Of course I was captured! I was almost at the locker room! He shifted his body, pulling his arm away from the sticky wall. He picked up a familiar sound before hearing something drop to the floor a small distance away. He pushed his head closer to the edge, crinkling his face when the mask made contact with the sticky wall. He let out a sigh before listening. I hear talking. Not just anyone has that angelic voice! He smiled, yanking his mask away from the side. “Ladybug’s here to save me.” For the first time since the attack started, he was relieved Plagg was still in his locker.   
The whir of the yoyo spin was close. Adrien felt something snap and his world started to spin as his cocoon crashed against the floor. He grimaced as he tried to readjust himself. Great, I think I’m stuck. The majestic sound of the yoyo whir was heard again before a bright light almost blinded him from above. He stared, mesmerized, as she slowly came into view.   
Only after she stared down towards him in concern did he realize she had asked him a question. He struggled as he attempted to push himself out of the sticky mess of webbing. She held out a hand, helping him up gently. He stared at her with admiration. She shook their hands and he remembered he never let go and he released his grip, sighing with relief when their hands seemed to still be stuck together.   
Ladybug frowned. “I’ll pull my hand this way, you try pulling yours that way.”  
He nodded his head and pulled, sad to have to contact gone so quickly. “Thank you.” He knew it sounded muffled under his mask and hoped she wouldn’t recognize his voice.   
She nodded, giving him her dazzling smile. “Go ahead and get to safety, I’m going to make sure no one else is here.”  
Adrien turned and walked towards the locker room door, the hand on his shoulder stopping him. “I think you should get out of here, who knows if the Akuma will be back.” Adrien nodded, making no move towards the exit; Ladybug sighed. “I can’t leave knowing I left someone behind. Please!”  
“I. . errh. . I left something important in my locker. I really need it.”  
Ladybug’s gaze flickered towards the locker room before staring back at him. “Hurry, I’ll wait here.” As Adrien reached for the door handle, he felt something wrap around his waist and yank him back. He followed the yoyo string back to see Ladybug glaring above them. Shifting his gaze, Adrien let out a gasp. The Akuma was back, hovering above them menacingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this chapter, sorry I didn't write out the last akuma fight. I felt like it had no real big impact on the characters and their plot whereas this one will be written out in much clearer detail. I really hope you like this chapter, I am finally done with my June class and have the next month off so I'm hoping to finish several more chapters over the next few weeks.   
> Let me know how you all like this chapter, I think the next one is a little bit more action packed and Ladrien filled. If I get enough feedback to push me, maybe I can submit the next one by Wednesday. =D


	7. Arachnid Akuma Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The latest akuma attacks leaving Adrien and Ladybug in a sticky situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Ladybug glared at the akuma looming above the fencing student. It’s clear that the akuma was a student from the school, but had taken on spider like qualities. The 6 long, brown legs protruding from his rounded body clung to the white webbing as he hung, suspended above them. His torso had his regular two arms, although his fingers seemed to be elongated with sharp ends, similarly to claws. She saw the purple symbol glow over his face and she grit her teeth. She ran ahead and pulled the stunned student to his feet and dragged him away as the akuma shot another string of webbing in their direction. She pushed him behind her as she spun her yoyo, frantically looking for a way out.  
Where is that cat? She focused on the akuma as he let out another holler of frustration. “You, a simple ladybug, is nothing compared to the Arachnid!” He smiled menacingly. “I know, I’ll trap you in my web.” He held out his hand, webs shooting out across the room. Ladybug grit her teeth as she took a cautious step back.  
She heard the student’s feet shuffle behind her and she chanced a glance over her shoulder. He was trying to take off his fencing mask, clearly struggling. He looked up and gave a muffled shout. “LADYBUG! LOOKOUT!”  
She whipped her head just in time avoid most of the web’s impact. Her left arm remained tangled in the air. Arachnid laughed, shooting another wave of webbing. She spun her yoyo, slicing the webbing that her hand was caught in. She felt a hand on her elbow pull her just as the attack would have hit. She turned to face the fencing student, surprised. “I. . Thanks.” She glared at Arachnid. He continued to berate them with web shots, barely missing the two.  
Arachnid growled in frustration. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. How about one of these?!” He pulled 2 of the long spider legs towards his center and rolled the webbing. Grabbing it again, he threw it at the super hero. Just as Ladybug jumped out of the way, the ball expanded, catching Ladybug in a sticky net. She frantically struggled to rip apart the fresh webs.  
Ladybug turned to the student and bit her lip; he, too, was struggling to remove his arm that had gotten caught in the net. “I’ll get us out of here, don’t worry.”  
She jumped as she heard Arachnid’s voice directly behind her. “Oh, the little bug thinks she can escape?” She shifted and gave him a fierce glare. He reached for her earrings and she pulled out her yoyo and whacked his arm away. He narrowed his eyes. “Oooh, you seem to have a lot of energy left.” A sadistic smile swept across his face. “I know, I’ll wrap you in a cocoon. I’ll let it drain your energy before returning for your miraculous.”  
“Drain my energy?” She stepped back hesitantly.  
He let out another laugh. “Have fun, my little bug.” Arachnid shot a string of webbing faster than ladybug could spin her yoyo. She felt the sticky blanket of webbing across her torso before Arachnid let out a yelp. She opened her eyes and followed his gaze to the student. He stood shoeless, holding one in his hand ready to throw while the other lay at the bottom of Arachnid’s long spider legs. “You little. . HOW DARE YOU!” His gaze flickered between Ladybug and the student before he let out a chuckle. “I’ll just wrap you both up together.” The fencing student threw his other shoe, knocking Arachnid’s aim off.  
The villain shot again, capturing the student and covering his chest. Arachnid yanked on the webbed cord and dragged the student closer, shoving him at Ladybug. She tried to catch him, only able to use her arms from the elbow and lower. Their webbing stuck and they struggled pulling away. Arachnid shot another volley of webs, encasing the two. Soon the two were covered in a large white cocoon. Ladybug felt the cocoon shift and lift in the air. She fell forward, groaning when her face made contact with the sticky substance. The cocoon shifted as she struggled to pull her face away. She glanced up, blushing when she realized she was smashed against the student’s chest. She stared up at the fencing mask, wondering who could be under it.  
The cocoon bounced again as Arachnid finished stringing the cocoon in the air.  
“I’ll come back in a bit and check on you.” His laughter faded away, leaving the two alone.  
~  
Adrien stared down at Ladybug as she squirmed. He swallowed nervously, unsure on how he could help. He watched her take her yoyo and spin with the little motion she could muster from just her wrist. The yoyo soon became a blur of red. She tried angling it so she could release herself, unable to reach her arms. He mirrored her frown as she let out a groan. She stared curiously at his masked face before starting to work on his bindings. His arm snapped free.  
“Here, could you see if you could release my arm as well.” She held out her yoyo the best she could. Adrien hesitantly grabbed it and stared at her, unsure. “Please, I don’t think I can quite reach my arm at this angle.” She wiggled to prove her point.  
He swallowed and gave a short nod before clumsily spinning it in his left hand. After hitting her arm for the fifth time in under a minute, he sighed. “I don’t think I can do this.”  
She pulled her arm farther from her body with an encouraging smile. “It’s working a little. Please, just a little more.” He gazed into her bluebell eyes and he was sunk. He focused, sticking his tongue out, he started to spin the yoyo. It didn’t become the red blur it normally did when she was handling it, but the speed was enough to break the remaining web on her arm. The proud smile she gave him when she looked back to him. . . his heart melted.  
He handed it back to her and let the yoyo expert take over again. She spun the small red yoyo until it was the familiar blur and began working on the web made walls. After several minutes, Adrien could feel the cocoon shift. He wrapped his arms around her just as the cocoon crumbled to the ground.  
Adrien winced as she shifted above him. “Oh no, are you okay?” She pried herself off him, before helping him up. She looked around with a sigh. “Some hero I am, I can’t even save you right.”  
“What? No! You’re great. You got us out.” He went to rub the back of his neck and remembered he still wore his mask. Adrien pulled at it, struggling to remove it.  
She quirked her eyebrow. “Need help?”  
He paused, giving her a hesitant look. “Sure.” He drawled out. She pulled against the mask with such force, it ripped it from his head and pulled him forward so he stumbled to the floor. Adrien took a deep breath of the fresh air before looking over to her. “Thanks Ladybug.”  
She stood frozen, staring down at the blonde. Adrien feared that she might have recognized him as Chat Noir until she gave a small laugh and waved him off. “It’s no big deal. I. . uh. .” She stared back at him, wide eyed. Adrien cocked his head in confusion, wondering what could be going through her mind. She cleared her throat and looked around the room. “I think I will need to get going, I need to take care of the Arachnid.” She glanced nervously over to Adrien. “Will you be alright?”  
Adrien’s head bobbed. “Yeah.” He breathed out. She hesitated, seemingly waiting for him to say more, before she turned and used her yoyo to pull herself to the top of the building. Adrien watched her with admiration painted across his face.  
An amused voice ripped Adrien from his thoughts. “I see you’ve had fun.” Adrien deadpanned as he turned towards the small black Kwami floating behind him. “Maybe I should have given you a few more minutes.”  
“How long were you there for?”  
Plagg shrugged indifferently. “I haven’t been here for very long at all.” His smile turned mischievous. “Although I was over there watching since spider-guy left.” He raised his eyebrow suggestively.  
Adrien let out a groan, shaking his head. “Look, we don’t have time for this today. She’s already wondering where we are. We have to go help.” Plagg made a disgruntled face. “Plagg, claws out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if I detailed the akuma well enough, I totally have an image in my head but I can't tell if I explained it enough. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I am going to publish the next chapter Sunday. =)


	8. What's In a Hero?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette attempts to save a civilian and gets herself in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Chat skittered across Paris, following the trail of webbing. Police cars dangled from buildings, several small cocoons were littered across the ground. Chat hesitated before leaping down and slicing open the cocoons. Parisians tumbled out unconscious. Chat used his baton and dialed 112 for emergency services. He quickly explained to the paramedics that the cocoons held civilians inside and they came out unresponsive.  
He climbed up to the top of a nearby building and sighed with relief at the familiar lady in red leaping her way towards him; then he saw her expression. “Chat! Where were you?!”  
His ears flopped down in shame as he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Sorry, My Lady, I was a little. . . tied up.”  
She let out a sigh. “Okay, well we need to deal with Arachnid, and soon. I can’t tell you how many cocoons with civilians inside I’ve had to break open. The weirdest part though, they were all unconscious.”  
Chat nodded. “Yeah, I found a large group over here as well with the same reaction.” A loud beep rang between them. Her eyes widened in shock as his eyes flickered to her ears. “Did you use your lucky charm?”  
She slowly shook her head, bringing her hand to her ear. “No.” She swallowed uneasily. “I. . I was captured in a cocoon earlier though when I was releasing students from a nearby high school.”  
“But the students weren’t affected.”  
She raised her eyebrow. “How would you know? I didn’t see you there.”  
“Oh, well. . You know how fast the LadyBlog is updated. I saw footage of students walking out of the building.” Ladybug nodded. “Although, they were all in full fencing gear weren’t they?”  
Her eyes widened in realization as another beep rang out. “Oh! So maybe my miraculous saved me but in return it’s power was drained.” She looked at her gloved hands. “Oh Tikki.” She looked back up to Chat. “Sorry kitty, I have a Kwami to recharge. I’ll be back as soon as possible.” With that, her lithe form disappeared, bounding across the Parisian buildings. He watched her go with a sigh.  
Ladybug landed in a dimly lit ally. A bright flash later, Marinette hurried out, fussing over her purse. “Oh Tikki, are you alright?”  
Big blue eyes stared out from her small pouch. “I just feel so drained.” Tikki slowly closed her eyes. “I’ll just sleep until we can find something for me to sleep.”  
Marinette bit her lip as she frantically looked around. She quickly crossed the street and walked inside the store, heading straight for the cookie aisle. She cringed at the options before selecting one at random and quickly purchasing it. Marinette ripped the package open and plopped it in her purse as she stepped out of the store.  
A woman raised her eyebrow questioningly towards her. She shrugged her shoulders and laughed. “I thought I was hungry, I changed my mind.”  
The woman walked away, shaking her head in confusion. Marinette let out a sigh before peering down into her bag. Tikki was feebly gnawing at one of the cookies. She glanced around and gasped at spotting several cocoons down the street. She darted across the empty street and desperately looked for something to cut them open with. Marinette groaned and opened her bag again. She reached around the Kwami and pulled out a pen. “I guess this will have to do.”  
She hit the cocoon as hard as she could, smiling as she felt the pen sink in. She pulled the pen out and peered in. A mother was huddled around her small whimpering child. The sound of a soft voiced “Mama” rang in her head.  
“I’m going to get you out! Stay with your mom.” She dug the pen into the cocoon again and again until she started to feel the cocoon give ever so slightly. She dropped the pen and shoved her hands in, pulling at the white, sticky substance until a hole the size of her head was opened. Marinette panted uncharacteristically as she smiled at the child. “It’s alright, I’ve almost got you both.”  
“Ah, but now I’ve got you.”  
Marinette’s heart dropped in dread as she turned to see the Arachnid hovering beside her.  
~  
Chat leapt across buildings eyes scanning the ground effortlessly as he searched for this spider akuma. He spotted another cluster of cocoons and dropped down. His claws sliced through the membrane quickly, giving him little time to catch the victims. He gently set the last one down when he heard familiar shouting. He sprinted around the corner, his breath caught in his throat when he saw the Arachnid lifting his classmate, Marinette, by the arm. She struggled frantically, looking around for something to grab onto when her bright, blue eyes met his.  
The Arachnid stealthily moved, pulling her behind him, as he scaled the building, leaving another few cocoons. Chat leapt after the akuma, eyes trained on the dark haired girl. She shouted, “Chat go back!”  
“Don’t worry about me Princess, I’ll be fine.”  
She sighed, shaking her head. “I mean go back and save those people.” His leg slipped, along with his composure.  
“What about you?”  
She pointed in the direction they were just at. “Please, there’s a little girl. She needs help.”  
He opened his mouth to argue, closing it firmly. He turned and rushed back to the cocoons. Those eyes, so strong and determined. I couldn’t say no. His ears picked up the sounds of a child whimpering. He walked over to the large cocoon, examining the hole. The little girl inside lit up at seeing him. “Chat Noir! You’re here to save us!”  
He gave a thumbs up. “Now hold on to your mom, I’m going to cut you out.”  
With a simple slice, they fell out; Chat Noir barely managed to help slow the fall just in time before they crashed to the concrete. “Thank you Chat Noir.” Her eyes sparkled as she stared up at her hero.  
“Well, thanks to your hole, I was able to find you and cut you out.”  
She shook her head. “I didn’t make that hole.” He tilted his head in confusion. “That nice girl did before the spider came back. She used a pen and then ripped it open with her bare hands.” The girl enthusiastically held up her hands for display.  
Chat’s eye caught a pen nearby on the ground. He picked it up and examined it before shoving it in his pocket. “Interesting.” He cut open the other cocoons before turning back to the girl. “I must be off, will you be okay?”  
She nodded. “Thanks to you.” She smiled sadly, “What about that girl? Is she going to be alright?”  
He swallowed as he looked off into the distance. “I’ll make sure of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think. =)


	9. Akuma frustrations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat attempts to rescue Marinette during this frustrating Akuma attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Marinette watched Chat turn back with conflicted emotions. Of course she wanted his help, but that little girl needed to be saved first. The grip on her arm tightened as Arachnid laughed. “Even one of the heroes of the city is fleeing with his tail between his legs.” The purple butterfly symbol hovered above his face and he sneered. “No, I have a plan.” His laugher rang out once again as he descended into an ally.   
Marinette watched in awe as he strung a masterful mess of webs. He turned, grabbing her shoulder. “Now to take care of my bait.”   
~~  
Chat leapt through Paris, straining to hear a clue of where they could be. His eyes caught sight of a large white cocoon several buildings over. He scanned the area as he quietly landed next to it. He sliced it open to find it empty. He stood there in confusion. “I don’t understand.”  
He frantically looked around, spotting another cocoon several buildings over. Chat raced over, quickly slicing through the next cocoon. Empty. His keen eyes spotted another and another. Cocoons scatter across the rooftops. He let out a growl as he charged through another cocoon to find it empty as well. Another cocoon empty. Another Empty. Empty. Empty. Empty.   
A movement in the corner of his eye pulled his attention to the akuma dipping down between buildings. Chat chased after him, pausing at the edge of the building. Below was an intricate tangle of webs with a cocoon in the center. The akuma sinisterly smirked. “Hello Chat Noir.”  
Chat eyed Arachnid warily at the end of the alley. “What is all of this?”  
Arachnid laughed. “I knew a hero would try to save the civilian.” His dark gaze turned to the cocoon. “Is she in there? Or, perhaps, could she be in another cocoon in the city?”  
Chat worriedly turned back to the cocoon. He focused his attention on the large white blob suspended in the air. A slight whimper of a woman and the ever so gently bounce of the webs. He glared at Arachnid. What’s his angle, she’s clearly in there. Arachnid laughed. “You can either stop me now or save the civilian. The choice is yours.” He vaulted himself over the building leaving Chat Noir to growl out in frustration.   
I can save her quickly and then catch him. I can do this. He launched himself, claws out, at the webs. He made a quick job of slicing and ripping at the webs until he finally reached cocoon. He panted, swatting away a nearby thread that dangled above. “I’m here to save you.” He clawed at the exterior, finally slicing through the thick coating. A young brunette he didn’t recognize tumbled into his arms. Chat stared in horror, realization dawning on him. He pulled her out of the alley and set her down before he leapt on top of the building. Across the building there were several dozen more cocoons. He ripped through the nearest out of anger, surprised that a random man fell out.   
Chat hung his head in his hand in shame. “I should have went after him. Why didn’t I go after him?” He swallowed and made a quick job of opening all of the cocoons he found. Most seemed to be empty with the few civilians hidden amongst them. Time seemed to tick on as Chat grew angrier with every passing minute.  
He scanned the roofs with frustration. “Where’s Ladybug?!” Realization dawned on him. NO! She couldn’t be captured. Not her! His paced quickened even in his exhausted state. He paused at the edge of a building, catching his breath. He stared down at a mess of webs with a large cocoon. He dropped into the alley and recklessly cut through until he reached the cocoon. The webbing clung to him as he clawed at the shell. After several swipes, the familiar teen fell out into his arms. “Marinette.” He breathed as he collapsed to the floor with her in his arms. Her head lolled to the side in her unconscious state. “I’m sorry. . I’m so sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.” He stood on shaky legs as he pulled her out of the tangled mess.   
The tangle of webs clung greedily to them as he walked out of the alley and slumped to the ground. His ring rang out a loud warning beep. He threw the webs from his body and carried Marinette away from the scene as fast as he could manage. He could hear the laughter of Arachnid ringing in his ear but couldn’t tell if it was in his mind or the villain was lurking nearby. Another beep rang out.   
He panted, his body crying out in protest at his agile speed. Diving into the subway and dipping around a corner, he laid her out so her back was propped in a corner. Chat slumped against the wall as his miraculous gave out with a bright flash of green.   
“Adrien. .” Plagg dropped into his palm like a rock. “I need. . need cheese.”   
Adrien slid down the wall with a groan. “Here.” He shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out a large chunk, passing it to the exhausted Kwami. He watched Plagg struggle to lift the cheese to his mouth with tired eyes. “You okay?”   
Plagg nibbled with his eyes closed, slowly shaking his head. “I’m sorry.” He turned his head away and continued eating.   
Marinette let out a groan. Adrien dropped Plagg and the cheese into his shirt pocket as he glanced over to her nervously. She shifted uncomfortably against the wall, slowly opening her eyes. Her blue eyes warily trailed around her surroundings until they landed on him. He swallowed thickly, giving her a tired smile.  
She blinked slowly back, her eyes slowly widening. “I. . uh. . Adrien. .”  
“Hey Marinette, how are you feeling?”   
She opened her mouth, seeming to struggle at what to say for a long minute. “I’m good, thank you.” She looked down at her hands as she began to wring them nervously together. “What happened?”  
Adrien looked away thoughtfully. “Well, Chat Noir saved you from some web cocoon and found me. He asked me to keep an eye on you while he fought the akuma.” He glanced back, his heart practically jumping out of his chest when he caught her eye.   
She nodded slowly. “Chat. Fighting all by himself.” Her voice was drowned in sadness.   
“He has Ladybug, I saw her earlier today at the school helping.”  
Marinette sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. “Well she was nowhere near as much help as Chat has been today.”  
Adrien leaned forward, frustration woven through his features. “That’s not being fair! She’s always looking out for this city, I’m sure she’s out there doing the best that she can.”   
Marinette stared at him, mouth ajar. “I. . Yeah, you’re right.” She smiled softly, staring at her hands once again.   
Adrien leaned his head against the wall, watching her. “So you’re okay?”  
She gave him a shy smile. “Yes, thank you.” Her eyebrows knit and her face scrunched in thought. “Are you?”  
Adrien was taken aback by this. “Yeah.”   
“You look as tired as I feel.”   
He chuckled. “Well I’ve had my own run in with the akuma a few times today. Speaking of which, what were you thinking?” He leaned forward, “Actually touching the cocoons, opening them..?”  
She puffed out her cheeks. “What was I supposed to do? Let people stay stranded inside?” She paused. “How’d you even know about that?”  
Adrien flailed. “OH! Well. . CHAT! Yeah, Chat mentioned that you must’ve. . antagonized the akuma by letting the victims go. . ?” Adrien nervously smiled, watching Marinette carefully for a reaction. She sighed and started to fiddle with her purse. Whew! Seems like she believes me. What was I thinking? I should’ve waited until I transform back into Chat. He sneaked a peek into his pocket, surprised that for once Plagg still hasn’t finished his cheese. The little Kwami was asleep, quietly snoring away.   
Marinette still seemed to be checking her purse when he glanced around. She finally closed her purse and pulled herself up onto shaky legs. “Woah! Marinette, take it easy.” He jumped up, almost toppling right over with his own jelly legs. He held his hands out warily. “Don’t push yourself.”   
She watched him, laughing lightly. “Same goes for you.” She used the wall for support as she straightened herself. “I think I just need to move a little.” She took a step towards him. Adrien steadied himself before giving her a reassuring smile. “Thanks Adrien, I really appreciate you looking after me.” Her face was red and his smile wavered. Her face is red, what could that mean? Maybe she’s overdoing it..? She has had a rough encounter with the akuma.   
“Marinette, I think that-” A scream ripped through the subway. Adrien peeked around the corner and spotted the akuma. He grabbed Marinette’s hand. “We need to go.” She nodded with determination. He forced himself past the soreness of his achy body and led them to the nearest stairs. He looked over his shoulder, impressed that she was still able to keep up in her condition.   
Once up top, the two stood in horror at the cocoon filled plaza. Adrien heard more screams from below and grit his teeth. “Marinette.” He looked into her bright blue eyes. “You should get out of here to safety.”  
She furrowed her eyebrows. “What about you?”  
“I’ll get help.”  
She bit her bottom lip. “What about these people?”  
“Marinette, please.” She stared at him, eye wide. “Go to safety, I’m sure Chat Noir and Ladybug will be here soon to save the day like always.”  
She smiled. “Yeah, alright. Stay safe, okay Adrien?” Adrien gave her his best smile before giving a small wave and jogging off.   
Adrien glanced over his shoulder, sighing in relief that she clearly took his advice and left to safety. He ducked behind a car and glanced around. “Plagg!” He jiggled his shirt pocket. “Wake up.” Two very angry, green eyes glowered from his pocket. “How are you feeling?”   
The Kwami popped the last chunk of cheese into his mouth before giving an impish grin. “Do you have any more cheese?”   
Adrien let out groan. “No, but I’ll get you some.” He glanced around and spotted a deli nearby. The store was empty inside, not a soul around. He shouted out greetings and finally gave up. “Plagg, hurry up and eat whatever you need to.”  
The Kwami floated out with a large smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think of this latest chapter. I felt like it was just off. Did I rush it? I can't tell. Let me know what you think of the story so far plot wise.


	10. A Web of Her Own Design

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat and Ladybug take down their latest Akuma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Disclaimer: I do not own the story or the characters from Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.*

Chat stretched, feeling better now that Plagg’s magic coursed through his system. He glanced down to the counter at the large lump of money he left as payment for his cheese before slowly stepping out of the deli. There were no more screams but the familiar whir of Ladybug’s yoyo rang in the distance.   
He leapt into action, following the sound. Chat soon found her using her spinning yoyo in defense of another web attack.   
He launched himself at Arachnid and gave the akuma a hard thwack. The akuma staggered, glaring at Chat with hate. “You!”  
Chat leapt back to avoid getting caught up in the webbing. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ladybug smiling at him with relief. She cautiously stepped over to him, spinning her weapon to repel the continued attacks. Chat eyed the akuma warily. This akuma has been active for too long, we need to hurry and fix everything.   
Ladybug bit her bottom lip. “Chat, I need to use Lucky Charm, do you think you can cover for me?”  
Chat gave her a flirtatious wink, “Sure thing, Bugaboo.”  
She glowered. “Chat! C’mon!” He chuckled to himself as he leapt in front of her and spun his baton. “Be careful, this stuff he’s shooting with is more durable, I don’t think it’ll be as easy to break through.” He nodded as the wave of the next attack was flung in his direction. Her familiar call out behind him made him curious. She always gets such random things, I wonder what could possibly help us against this spider. I don’t think bug spray would work since she’s a ladybug.   
He heard her mumbling to herself and saw the akuma watching her with renewed interest. He glanced over his shoulder curiously, frowning at the simple net she held. Well that’s not as exciting and interesting as it usually is although it does seem ironic. She looked around the area thoughtfully, slowly turning her gaze back to her partner.  
Eyes wide, she yelled out. “Chat! Look out!” He turned just in time to see the large white ball of goo crash into his torso.   
He glanced up, relieved that she dodged the attack in time. She sighed, sounding disappointed. Chat felt his ears droop, ashamed that he lost focus. What’s wrong with me?! She literally JUST asked me to watch her back and then I got hit. To ease the tension he painted an amused expression across his face as he practically purred out, “Look at this sticky situation I seem to have gotten myself in.” She gave him a hard glare before turning back to the akuma. He ignored their conversation as he tested out his arms mobility. His right arm had full range, but his baton was at his feet. He stretched his leg out, spinning the baton uselessly in front of him.  
Chat glanced up frantically, gritting his teeth at the situation. Her warning beep rang out and his heart sank when he realized it had already lost it’s second spot. He kicked the baton around desperately. The baton rolled farther away. He cursed under his breathe.   
Chat worriedly watched as Ladybug could only dodge attacks. He reached out his hand and yelled, “Cataclysm!” The webbing disappeared beneath his claw. He scooped up his baton and charged his opponent. Arachnid caught him mid-air and slammed him against the wall. Chat coughed out, gasping for air. He looked over the akuma, spotting a dark purple and black paper stuck in the shirt pocket. He reached forward and ripped the paper from Arachnid. The akuma snarled as he attempted to snatch the item back. Chat started to see black spots in his eyes as the grip tightened around his throat. The net flew over his opponent who dropped him to the floor in surprise. The bottom of the net tightened as Ladybug pulled tighter, capturing their adversary.   
Chat coughed at the wonderful air, his head spinning. He soon saw red with black dots and knew Ladybug was in front of him. “Chat! Are you okay?!”  
He gave a thumbs up, letting out another fit of coughs. His ring let out a warning beep just as her earring started to alert them of their dire situation.   
“We need to find the-” Chat waved the paper in front of her face, looking up with a cocky grin. Her blue eyes looked up in surprised before she gave him a grateful smile. “Chat. . Thanks.” He opened his mouth to give out one of his clever puns about webs when another spurt of coughs surfaced. She ripped the paper and the little butterfly flew out. He closed his eyes, breathing deep as he hear the familiar “Miraculous Ladybug” shout next to him. He opened his eyes to find the mess of webs gone and a confused teen sitting in front of them.   
Ladybug held the paper in her hands uncertainly, her earring was on it’s last spot. “Go.” Chat was taken aback by the hoarseness of his own voice. She stared at him with wide eyes.  
“Are you okay?!”   
He cleared his throat, giving a light cough. “Yeah.” His voice sounded closer to normal, the strain still evident. He rubbed his neck sheepishly. She watched him with concern. Her earring rang out and he grabbed her shoulders, pushing her towards the stairs. “Go!” He snatched the paper from her hands as she rushed out.  
“Thanks Chat!”  
He turned to the horrified victim who was staring at his hands in disgust. “I became one didn’t I?”  
“Hey now.” He forced his voice to sound as normal as possible. “It happens.”  
The boy shoved his face in his hands. “I’m. . I’m so ashamed, to be that angry over something that. . . it doesn’t matter.”  
Chat’s ring beeped and he glanced down. 2 spots left. He crouched down and put his hand on the guy’s shoulder, “You shouldn’t be ashamed, you should just understand why you were upset and take a step back away from the situation.” He turned and looked into Chat’s eyes, devouring every word. Chat swallowed, his throat throbbing. He pushed back the pain with a smile and continued. “Understanding what happened is the first step, then looking for ways to best resolve it is the next step.”  
The boy looked down to the paper in his hands with a thoughtful frown. “Last week, a girl from my school made a big deal about how lame spiders were during lunch, even calling me a freak. When I invited my friend to go to the Spectacular Spider event at the zoo this weekend, he. . he said he didn’t want to be known as a freak too. It’s all thanks to what Chloe said.”  
Chat flinched. Even on vacation she can cause akuma attacks at school. “Maybe your friend isn’t into spiders as much as you..?” The boy bit his lip, looking away as he started to crumble the ticket. “How about you invite your friend to the zoo to look at all of the animals? That way you can still stop by and check out the spiders, but it isn’t like you both made the trip just for the spiders?”  
Chat’s ring beeped again. He clenched his hand nervously, hating to leave things off with the victim upset.   
The boy nodded slowly. “I’ll try tomorrow, but now I’m embarrassed. I mean, everyone knows it was me who was the akuma.”   
“HEY!” Chat looked over his shoulder to see Marinette waving near the stairs. She jogged over and looked between Chat and the boy.  
“Marinette.” The boy smiled with recognition.   
“Julien” Marinette smiled, crouching next to him. “Are you okay?”  
He nodded slowly. “Chat was talking with me. . I . . I think I’m better.”  
Chat rubbed his ring hesitantly. “Are you sure?”  
Marinette’s eyes widened. “Chat! You’re on your last spot.” He nodded, he eyes flickering back to the boy. “It’s fine Chat, go ahead and get outta here.”   
“Are you sure?”   
She nodded and he ran off, vaulting himself from the subway and leapt behind a sign just as his transformation wore off. He glanced around nervously, happy to see that no one around was aware of his change. Plagg complained in his pocket as he made his way down the stairs.   
“Shhhh! Plagg, I’m trying to see how he is doing.” He peeked around the corner, happy to see Marinette smiling with the victim. “It looks like she’s taking care of him.”  
“Good, so now you can get me some more cheese.”   
Adrien glared at the Kwami before stuffing him into his shirt and hurrying off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay 2 chapters this week! I'm aiming for Sunday for the next chapter. I hope this akuma attack wasn't too long. I just got carried away. =)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Miraculous fanfiction. I've had this written down for a while and I'm finally starting to post it. You can find me on tumblr, same name p3pp3rmintt.


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